Typical axle/hub assemblies for non-driven wheels of a vehicle consist of a hub, a spindle, inner and outer wheel bearings, grease seals and a nut for retaining the hub on the spindle. Normally, a castellated nut is utilized to maintain the hub on the spindle. In order to maintain proper adjustment of the bearings and also to prevent the loss of a hub, the position of the castellated nut relative to the spindle and hub must be maintained. This presents a problem on certain vehicles which utilize a drilled or bored spindle thereby providing a lateral passageway within the spindle. Under such conditions the bore must remain unobstructed and the castellated nut is typically maintained on the spindle by means of a "D" washer. A "D" washer is one which carries a finger which may be bent upward into one of the slots of the castellated nut.
Proper adjustment of the wheel bearings is necessary for safe operation of the vehicle. Normally, the wheel bearings are adjusted by tightening or loosening the castellated nut. Thus, proper engagement of the castellated nut by the "D" washer is necessary to insure safe operation. However, use of such washers is difficult inasmuch as they are made of thin metal and frequently will become caught in the threads of the spindle during adjustment of the bearings. This may result in improperly adjusted bearings producing a premature failure thereof. An additional draw back arising from use of a "D" washer is the difficulty in finding replacements in the field.